Button



June l, 1954 L. P. KNARREBQRG 2,579,672

BUTTON Filed June 24, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l F/G. al f" /2 INVENTOR. LEONARD R K/VARREBORG ATTORNEY June 1, 1954 l.. P. KNA'RREBORG 2,679,672

BUTTON Filed June 24, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .Z'Wz 5' VEN TOR.

nd/1M Patented June 1, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE-f.

BUTTON f' Leonard P. Knarreborg, LaCanada, Calif.

Application June'24, 1949, lSerial No. 101,039

3 Claims.

can readily be set into positionon sa garment, and

does not require to bersewed in place.:y

This application is a continuation in'partof my copending application Serial.\l\l'o.'\20.20.7,v filed April 10, 1948.

It is a common experiencefor`buttons`to ycome off garments, often -withgreati inconvenience and embarrassment. There are many situations n which the wearer of the garment cannot readily sew the button back in-place; andvit would be desirable to have ya ready replacement button which could quickly be snapped into place.

According to my invention, I provide such a replacement button... Itiicomprises a -member with a plurality of-prongs .protruding from a base and adapted to pass through the garment to be buttoned, so that the prongs protrudeV outwardly from the garment into the button member. The button member vcomprises theA usual head, and has a sleeve passing over the prong, and the head carries a centralmemberhaving mounted on it a spring elementwhich bears against the inner surfaces of the prongs, binding and pushing the prongs against the sleeve. Tov

ues this button, it is merely required to push the prongs through the material and then snap the button member into place.

The foregoing and other features and advantages of my novel invention will be better understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawing of which:

Fig. 1 is an enlarged side elevation View in cross-section showing the attachment of a button according to my invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section view taken at line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation view showing a detail of the construction of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation View showing another detail used in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 5 is a cross-section View taken at line 5 5 of Fig. 6 showing a modified form of button arrangement according to my invention; and

Fig. 6 is a plan View of the button of Fig. 5.

The button illustrated in Figs. l `to 4 comprises a base portion I and the exposed button portion 2. The base member I is illustrated separately in Fig. 3, and comprises a flat base from which protrude a number of prongs II. The particular number of prongs shown in the embodiment in the drawing is four, but it will be understood that some other number of prongs portion 3 and tapers to a point15.= Thepurpose of these pointed prongs is illustrated in Fig`.z1,which` shows the base member I inposition withthebase portion 3 back of a garment orrfabric l'cnw which the button is vto be placed, and withthe prong i stuck through the fabric and pointing* outwardly.

The exposed button member 2 comprises -a cyl indrical shank 'I open-at the inner -endf 8 Sand aring outwardly at thef-outer endto' forman annulus 9; and a disc-like head llisplaced'over the .top of the button and-crimpedatV- I If around -the edge of the annulus Ilf A thiniiatfarm or`l plate I2 is set within the member 2 'so that-wit lies in a plane passing through the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical portion l." Th'is1-is-done--- by forming. the top of the plate'vI2 with a pair-of -f ears I3 and I4 shaped and dimensioned tovt be tween the cylindrical top I0 andthe` curved-A porears: I5 andIIi which are crimped around a circular disc of spring, suchas 'spring-steel-f-I'Ias f showninFig. 4;- and'the diameterof sprin'gdiscf- II is slightly greater than the normal# diameter f between opposite prongs of the base member I.

To set the button in position on a garment, the base member I is pushed through the garment or material from the back thereof so that the base portion is at the back or under side, leaving the prongs 4 protruding outwardly. Then the outer button member 2 is set on the prongs by placing the cylindrical portion 'l around the prongs and sliding it down over the prongs with the plate I2 between prongs as shown in Fig. 2. In this position, the button member is slid down on the prongs as far as it will go, ordinarily until the base 8 of the cylindrical portion 'I is pressed against the outer surface of the fabric. While the button member is thus being pushed on the prongs, the circular spring disc II will be bent as it passes down inwardly between the prongs, inasmuch as its diameter is greater than the distance across opposite prongs. This will bend to press the prongs outwardly against the sleeve l. The edge of the spring disc will then engage the inner surfaces of the prongs so that the button member 2 cannot readily be pulled off the prongs. Preferably, the spring member is provided with a sharp or square peripheral edge so that the corner of the square 3 Will engage the prong members. If desired, the inner surfaces of the prongs may be roughened or serrated somewhat to provide a good engaging surface for the spring.

Figs. 5 and 6 show a modified form of button arrangement according to my invention; the principal diierence from the arrangement of Figs. 1 to 4 residing in a difference in the button and spring arrangement. It will lbe recognized that the base member I, with its prongs is substantially the same in Fig. 5 as in Fig. 1. 'Ihe button member 2 in Fig. 5, instead of having the flat top I shown in Fig. 1, is formed of a disc I 8 provided with a central depending conical formation I9 which may conveniently be formed or extruded from the iiat disc to taper down centrally toward the base of the base member I. Near the bottom of the cone I9, there is left a small opening or hole 2|] by the turning over or crimping of the lower conical portion to form the annular flange 2l. Within the annular recess formed at the opening 20 by the flange 2|, there is placed the circular spring member 22, which is provided with a suitable central hole to t within iiange 2| and around opening 2B. Thus, with the spring 22 in position, the flange 2| will be crimped against the portion of the cone 23 which is above the spring. The button member in Fig. comprises a cylindrical shank portion 2li corresponding to the shank 'I of Fig. 1; and above Vcylindrical portion 24 it ilares outward at 25 to ber I8 of a single sheet of material, and the simple manner by which the spring element 22 is centrally held at the bottom of the conical member I9.

It will be recognized that my invention provides a simple fastening arrangement for the button, and not only can it be easily assembled, but it will be positively held in position against pulling oil.

The

It should also be recognized that modications may be made in the construction within the scope of the invention. For example, it may not lalways be necessary, although it will usually be very desirable to provide the oblique surfaces 5a for the prongs; as the provision of such oblique surfaces at the prongs, slanting obliquely inwardly is likely to facilitate the assembly of the button by making it easier to slip the sleeve over the prongs.

It is understood that the invention is not limited to the particular construction illustrated in the drawing, which is given by way of illustration rather than of limitation, and that the invention is not limited except in accordance with the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A button comprising a base, a plurality of prongs protruding from the base and adapted to be stuck through a fabric, an exposed head member separate from the base, said head member comprising .an annular disc member with a conical portion concentrcally within, and extending from, fthe annulus Iand converging to smaller cross sections away from the annulus, and a disc-like spring member held at the smaller end oi the cone, a shank held at the periphery of the annulus and tted over the outsides of the prongs, with the spring in engagement with the insides of the prongs, to bind the prongs .against the shank.

2. A button according to claim 1 in which the disc-like spring member has a central opening which is placed over the small end of the cone.

3. A button according to claim 1 in which the small end of the cone is crimped against the disc to hold the disc in place.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 423,984 Chapman et al Mar. 25, 1895 437,992 Ingram Oct. '7, 1890 505,479 Platt Sept. 26, 1893 595,286 Candel Dec. 14, 1897 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 392,225 France Sept. 19, 1908 

